Wheelchair Basketball SPORT REVIEW PROPOSAL - BUCS
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Wheelchair Basketball SPORT REVIEW PROPOSAL
PREPARED BY British Wheelchair Basketball | 1 July 2019
CYCLE TWO
SUMMARY
This proposal has been prepared by British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB), the National Governing Body for
Wheelchair Basketball in Great Britain. The purpose of this proposal is to provide a rationale for the inclusion
of wheelchair basketball into the BUCS national sport competitions portfolio, becoming the first fully inclusive
team sport. The proposal takes into account the strategic alignment of both bodies, resource implication and
wider impact of introducing wheelchair basketball to the National BUCS Review, using qualitative and
quantitative data to validate plans and formats.
Practicing the notion of ‘Reverse Inclusion’, wheelchair basketball uses the Wheelchair as a piece of sporting
equipment (no different to a canoe or bicycle) that allows all ages, genders, abilities and disabilities to
compete on a level playing field. Rather than including people with disabilities in mainstream activities
(usually with adaptive equipment or timed events), wheelchair basketball includes everyone in exactly the
same activity, under the same rules and regulations, placing the disabled person at the heart of the sport.
This encourages students to play with their friends from all backgrounds, including the non-traditional sporty
types and promotes engagement and community cohesion. The mixed gender nature of our sport
domestically also provides an alternative sporting option for males and females to compete alongside each
other in an equal environment.
The proposal targets all student-athlete types over the coming years of delivery. BWB proposes to extend
the current competition format to promote local flexible leagues, providing opportunities for types 1 and 2 to
participate in more informal environments. BWB’s development of opportunities for student-athlete types 3,
4 and 5 in the development of a Premier Division to alleviate pinch points in the current one tier structure,
creating a university offering for all students, allowing a pathway from recreational to the elite.
BWB believes that introducing wheelchair basketball into the National BUCS Competition Programme will
enhance the student experience by giving University Clubs credibility and visibility, aiding the sustainability of
their club, and gaining access to more support and resource from Institutions. Breaking down stereotypes
and perceptions of the sport continues to be the main barrier to participation, with many people and
Institutions still of the belief that all wheelchair basketball athletes must be full time wheelchair users.
Raising the profile within the sector and addressing some of the misconceptions surrounding disability sport
and inclusion with the support of BUCS is one of the key drivers for BWB’s application.
The proposal centres around inclusion rather than formal ‘Classification’ and requires teams to only adhere
to regulations around the number of people on court with a lower limb disability. It is widely felt that
introducing full Classification at this level would produce unnecessary barriers and cost implications.
Embedding the BWB university championship into the BUCS programme will promote inclusivity and
participation, helping to increase the profile of the sport directly following the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic games,
our biggest media spotlight of the 4 year cycle.
The proposal essentially consists of the following:
1. To adopt BWBs current competition programme into the National BUCS Competition Programme.
2. Develop appropriate levels for all elements of the game within the BUCS Competition Programme,
ensuring the right level of competition for all types of participant.
1. INTRODUCTION
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 1 of 26
Embracing change and unlocking the potential of Wheelchair Basketball underpins the clearly defined
strategic direction of British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB).
The 2019-2024 strategy has been developed over a period of unprecedented success for British Wheelchair
Basketball, with GB squads holding 3 of 4 World Titles and the domestic competitive game seeing regular
broadcast via mainstream media to growing audiences.
Shaped through wide reaching consultation, the strategy outlines a collective ambition to realise a positive
future for the sport at all levels of the game.
Whilst the new strategic direction for the organisation will allow the sport to make ground breaking strides in
disability sport, the lifeblood of the sport and its’ passion for transforming lives remains front and centre.
The ability to provide life changing experiences through the unique inclusive nature of the sport it
intrinsically reinforced by the values instilled throughout the organisation and the sport as a whole.
This illustration shows the Vision and Mission of the sport which is bound by the values which run through all
BWB activity and behaviours.
The 4 identified strategic themes span all three defined areas of the sport; Participation, Performance and
Competition, with a specific focus on ensuring solid foundations in a healthy, vibrant and sustainable
organisation.
The focus on all three areas of the sport in Great Britain is reflected in the sports brand and depiction of the
blades within the BWB logo, ensuring all elements are front and centre in the new direction of the sport and
organisation.
• Double Participation – Attract and retain new participants, Coaches, Leaders and Officials
• Domestic Professional League – enable the formation of local leagues, generate more professional
playing opportunities and delivering a professional league which attracts and retains the best talent
in the world
• World Class High Performance System – Realise World, Paralympic, European and Commonwealth
medal success, and develop a world leading GB Academy
• World Leading Governing Body – Through attracting new investment into the sport, growing new
audiences and facilitating the digitalisation of the sport
A partnership with BUCS and inclusion into the BUCS competition framework clearly contributes to 3 of our 4
strategic themes.
This document sets out the rationale, strategic context and proposed structure of a wheelchair basketball
university competition to be adopted as part of the National BUCS Competition Programme to commence in
Autumn 2020.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 2 of 26BWB’s University Championships has been in existence since 2014. The competition provides an opportunity
for disabled people to access sport and physical activity whilst in the university environment.
Since the development of the BWB University Championships, there has been a sustained level of participation
throughout the HE sector, and consequently an increase in the number of young people (aged 16-25).
The BWB University Championships initially consisted of a 1 off weekend competition that ran every year in
its infancy. In 2016, the step was taken to review the format as the one off event placed a maximum number
on how many Universities could be included. The number of universities that registered for the University
Championships can be seen in Diagram 1 below.
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
University Growth Line
Diagram 1 – University team entries graph
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019
Participation
Diagram 2 – University Participants graph
Having delivered the competition for three consecutive years (2014/15 – 2016/17) and following growth within
the programme, by both; universities and participants, a review was completed. The review concluded that
students wanted an increase in competitive games throughout the year as opposed to one weekend, and in
addition, that they wanted to increase the time-spent training as a team in club sessions. This supported the
need for qualification rounds into the University Championships in order to ensure a more long term sustainable
structure.
Following the review completed in 2017 it was decided that we would separate the competition structure based
on geographical area – therefore the pools were split into North, Central and South. Each pool consisted of
three/four teams. Each team hosted a home round and attended two away rounds. Once all rounds were
completed the winner and second place team in the pool made it to the National Finals which were held in
March.
This increased the commitment required by the universities which most welcomed. Although this has proved
too big a step for some Universities initially, we have maintained relationships with many of them, working to
develop a more sustainable club for future participation in the league.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 3 of 26Example of pools for the University Championships 2018/19
North Pool Central Pool West Pool
Northumbria University Sheffield Hallam University of East London
Durham University University of Worcester Brunel University
Teams Hull University University of Nottingham Bath University
Nottingham Trent University
Diagram 3 – Team entries 2018/19
Competition Structure 2017/18 – present.
University Championships Finals
8 teams, 5v5, 1 classifiable player required, each team that qualifies for the final plays 3
games minimum, 1 day event
North Pool Central Pool South Pool
Diagram 4 – Current structure of the University Championships
By delivering the University Championships in the structure above we were able to increase student playing
time in competitive games by more than 200% and increased satisfaction across the University Championships.
However, in line with the BUCS Sport Review Proposal, we have identified further needs within the programme
that will further enhance the BWB University Championships offer.
2. PURPOSE
In reviewing, planning and developing the new competition structure, a participant and university
consultation survey has been completed. Insight and information gathering has been received by 5/16
(32%) universities and from 47/143 (33%) individual student participants.
63% of participants highlighted that they do not participate in any other sport at university and that
wheelchair basketball has had a significant benefit to them as individuals, please see diagram 7 overleaf.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 4 of 26Diagram 7 – benefits to participants
Importantly, 67% of the participants that completed the consultation stated that they were disabled and
42% stated that they have a classification within the sport meaning that they could progress through the
community player pathway.
Diagram 8 evidences the player participation and competition level of the respondents considered
themselves to be at, the majority of which; 63% want to play the sport in a competitive environment.
Diagram 8 – Player Participation and Competition level of the respondents
Using the information collated as part of the participation survey, we have established that:
1. There is an appetite inclusive team sport in a university setting.
2. The majority of the participants surveyed consider themselves to be disabled – 67%.
3. 63% do not play any other sport in university
4. 63% see themselves as competitive wheelchair basketball players.
5. 76% would like to participate in more competitive opportunities in a university setting.
6. Students believe they benefit positively from playing wheelchair basketball in a university setting.
In addition to the information gathered in the survey, we know the following about formal participation in the
2019-20 Season (University reported data):
• 115 Athletes Participated in our University Championships 2019-20
• 329 Athletes are regularly participating in Wheelchair Basketball in the University setting
• 94 of the 329 athletes consider themselves to have a disability (29%)
• Within this, 64% are Male and 36% are female
From this, we can ascertain that the University Championships has a higher concentration of Disabled people
competing than our wider sport participation within the sector, but that the sport also attracts people that are
not active in other sports outside of their wheelchair basketball activity.
Qualitative Feedback
Within the qualitative feedback that was gathered during our survey, we found a large amount of feedback
on the differing standards within the league and generally people who are new to the sport feeling demoralised
at large game score margins. Feedback included:
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 5 of 26‘I think it's a really good league, but despite my team training really hard all season we got beaten by
large margins by teams that had league or national players. One league player could undo our whole
team.’
‘I think it is unfair that there are GB players on some teams. University Champs is full of people who
haven’t played the sport much before and I think it’s unfair.’
‘Allowing GB level players to play in university leagues damages confidence of newer players’
Taking this feedback on board is vital to a successful competition moving forward. Whilst we do not believe
that limiting disabled students involvement in the sport is the right thing to do, regardless of their ability, it is
clearly important to separate the levels and allow a more engaging and challenging competition for all levels
of ability.
This competition review has allowed us analyse the current structure to put in place a new proposal that is
more sustainable, appropriate and most importantly provides a better experience for the universities and their
students. The current University Championships (as mentioned in the Introduction) is held annually with
regionalised pools played between November and February with a National Finals being hosted by BWB in
March.
We believe the new proposal and structure will see continued growth of wheelchair basketball in universities
and we believe that it will attract a wide variety of student-athlete types:
Level Development Student-Athlete Date
Profile (SAP)
Type
Local The development of local participation and informal leagues 1 and 2 Phase in
delivering a 3v3 format competition for universities to deliver from
on an intra/inter university level. This could be marketed at Autumn
student–athletes that have ambitions of participating in sport 2019
on a flexible basis and that are interested in engaging with
recreational sporting environments with limited commitment
but also universities that have lower numbers of participants
or equipment. Please see Diagram 6
Regional Sustaining the current 5v5 structure would help to satisfy the 3 and 4 Current
needs and wishes of students that have ambitions of success delivery
within a competitive sporting environment.
National The development of a Premier Division, which would consist 4 and 5 From
of the top 4 University teams which includes enhanced 2020 - 21
regulations around the number of disabled people per team.
Would provide a performance competition for those student–
athletes that have ambitions of success within a highly
competitive/performance/elite focused environment.
Diagram 5 – Development of BWB HE Offer
With aspirations of becoming part of the BUCS programme, our current evaluation of the university
Championships structure has been delivered in partnership with; our current student participants, our
strategic partners and, departments within the NGB (which include the Participation Team and GB
Performance Team)
We believe that our organisations vision is representative of university sector, which is ‘to deliver the best
possible student wheelchair basketball experience’, and to achieve this the aforementioned consultation has
helped us have a better understanding of the needs and wants of our student–athletes.
Taking into consideration the BUCS – Building Better Competition Framework in order to enable us to deliver
a better competition pathway for all of our HE participants, we are planning to evolve the University
Championships between 2019-2020 to become more structured in terms of membership and sign up.
The proposed structure for competition is outlined in Diagram 6.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 6 of 26Diagram 6 - Proposed structure for the British Wheelchair Basketball University Competitions The proposed structure consists of the Premier Division and the Conference League. The Premier Division will consist of the top four teams in the country and be ran as a national division. There will be four rounds in the league season, consisting of round robins hosted by each team. This will give each team a ranking. The top two ranked teams will qualify to the final which is proposed to be played at BUCS Big Wednesday to crown the winner of the premier division. The bottom ranked team will then face the relegation team playoff against the winner of the University Championships (explained below). Teams in the Premier Division are required to have at least two players with a physical disability on the court at all times. The Conference League will consist of a number of geographical pools of three or four teams in each pool. Each pool will have a number of rounds (based on the number of teams in the pool) and will be ran in a round robin format. The top 8 teams out of these geographical pools will then qualify to the University Championships which will be delivered by BWB in a central venue. The structure can sustain a maximum of 8 pools, at which stage, the only option is to grow the number of teams in each pool but move to home and away fixtures. Basic Regulations: BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 7 of 26
Premier Division
Format – 5v5, Full 40 minute games, 2 halves, 10ft hoops, full size basketball court
Timings – Weekend fixtures
Location – Round Robin hosted in turn by Universities
Eligibility – minimum of two disabled people on court (lower limb impairment)
Conference Division
Format – 5v5, Full 40 minute games, 2 halves, 10ft hoops, full size basketball court
Timings – Weekend fixtures
Location – Round Robin hosted in turn by Universities
Eligibility – minimum of one disabled person on court (lower limb impairment)
Promotion/Relegation
The Promotion / Relegation Play-Off will be played between the fourth ranked team in the Premier Division
and the winner of the University Championships. This will be played as a home/away fixture hosted by the
Premier Division team. The winner will then be promoted or stay in the Premier Division the following
season. The Promotion / Relegation Play Off will only come into play in the second year of the competition
being part of the BUCS structure. This will allow the competition and the teams to establish themselves.
Premier Division & BUCS Big Wednesday
BWB would like to maintain organisation and delivery the Premier Division Fixtures in order to ensure
appropriate allocation of referees. A discussion around the administration of this with BUCS would be
required.
It is proposed that the 1st and 2nd Premier Division teams go directly into a head to head Final at the BUCS
Big Wednesday event, alongside running Basketball. No additional requirements would be needed for this,
apart from a time slot allocated for the Game. The only stipulation would be that the game is played on a
Sprung Wooden floor only.
Conference Division & University Championships
BWB would like to maintain organisation and delivery of the Conference Division and the University
Championship Finals day. This includes financial resource to deliver the University Championships.
BWB see the University Championship Finals as being a grand event. After review of the 2019 University
Championship Finals, BWB propose the following improvements:
• Game commentator accompanied with music.
• A clear marketing and communication plan between BUCS and BWB.
• A live streamed University Championship Finals draw.
• In depth and regular engagement with universities through BWB’s Engagement Manager.
• More visible BWB branding at the University Championship Finals.
• Promotion of free tickets to spectate at the University Championship Finals.
• University Championship Finals competitions including social media, mascot and free throw during
half times and between matches.
Local Leagues
BWB’s local league sanctioning through the Playwaze system allows for clusters of universities to set up
smaller more flexible leagues to cater for more accessible participation opportunities.
Further considerations:
Facilities – Wheelchair Basketball is played on a full sized basketball court, with exactly the same court
requirements. BWB recommends the use of a sprung wooden floor for competitive games but does make
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 8 of 26allowances in certain circumstances. The only considerations for including wheelchair basketball in existing facilities is the off court provision such as accessible toilets and parking. Timings – the pool phase aspect of the Championships will take place with rounds being hosted by entrants in November, and two rounds in January/February. The University Championship Finals day will be held in March. Pool Phase –Universities will have the responsibility of organising and hosting one round of fixtures with two teams travelling at each round of fixtures. Appointing their own Table officials, with BWB appointing Referees centrally. Equipment – all universities with teams will be required to have their own playing equipment; balls, chairs, playing kit and provide table equipment such as scoresheets, foul paddles and air horns. BWB’s Engagement Manager will support newly formed clubs and societies initially. BWB will provide balls and table equipment at the University Championship Finals. Officials – BWB utilises the same qualification and training programme as Basketball for Table Officials, meaning any university with an existing BUCS basketball team will have a pool of Table Officials that are well placed to service additional wheelchair basketball games. Referees require a separate wheelchair basketball qualification, which can be delivered as a ‘Conversion Course’ for existing basketball referees. BWB will however appoint Referees centrally to all games to aid the load on Referees and ensure appropriate cover. BWB will be looking to work with universities to recruit and train more potential Referees. 3. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT The proposed changes strategically align with the following strands of the BUCS Strategy: Inter University Sport – We are seeking to add a competition opportunity for member institutions. This will be in the form of regionalised pools or events organised with universities that will lead these opportunities. Social & Recreational Sport – The new competition programme will be attractive to some students who want to take part in competition but with a more recreational experience. Professional & Workforce Development – Universities will be given the opportunity to upskill students and existing Basketball workforce through the delivery of wheelchair basketball coaching and refereeing qualifications providing CPD opportunities for students and staff whilst also supporting the development of student sport. Profile and Influence – We want to maximise the potential growth of university wheelchair basketball teams and are keen to use the BUCS competition structures to grow the profile of our sports in the sector. There is a huge opportunity in the next season in the lead up to and off the back of the Paralympic games in Tokyo 2020, where wheelchair basketball is a main sport with GB Men and Women amongst the favourites to medal. We will be running a participation campaign alongside this media spotlight to encourage more participation into the sport in all sectors as well as highlight those GB Players that might currently be in the university sector studying. As we work towards developing a Professional League by 2024 as outlined in our Strategic plan, universities will play a vital role in the development of franchises. Following good practice from other team sports such as Netball and Basketball, the synergy to develop these Professional League opportunities in the sector is clear and will help all parties deliver their strategic outcomes. Inclusion – We believe we are one of the most inclusive sports with mixed genders and disabled and non- disabled people playing on the same team. Performance Pathway - Provision of a quality pathway, to ensure that athletes are supported in their development through the pathway up to senior squad in the best way possible, receiving the education on and off the court. As part of the pathway, BWB are implementing an Academy system, which has holistic development of athletes at its core, which includes developing Academy sessions across the UK, enabling athletes to develop a dual career pathway. The University sector already engages a number of athletes on the pathway and within the GB teams and we aim to continue working with Performance Directors to strengthen partnerships. 4. CONSULTATION AND SUPPORT There are several routes through which we have consulted in preparing this proposal: BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 9 of 26
• One to one discussions with university teams.
• Online questionnaire with all university team contacts – June 2019
• Face to face consultation process through our annual coach and referee conference.
• Online questionnaire promoted on social media and directly to individual participants – June 2019
• GB Performance team consultation
Feedback from the consultation of the 2017-18 University Championships – Participants Survey highlighted
that the new format of regionalise pools followed by a National Championship Finals enables more
opportunities for people to play competitively.
Furthermore, continuing to deliver the play-off finals has provided additional competition and the prestige for
universities/students-athletes to compete in a finals day.
As a sport, BWB is in a very strong position to be able to have significant impact on the delivery of physical
activity for disabled people within the sector. Our BWB University Championships 2018 – Participation Survey
evidences that, 52% of our participants had never played wheelchair basketball prior to participating in
university, and of these, 75% did not participate in any other sport. This figure has gradually increased over
recent years.
In addition, of the 48% of students that had played prior to the University Championships, 11% were currently
engaged in the Great Britain performance pathway, seven of which had competed at a major international
competition in the past two years.
5. RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
British Wheelchair Basketball - The proposed competition structure is already in place. BWB staff such as
the Participation Director, League and Competitions Manager and Engagement Manager will have key roles in
organising and overseeing delivery of the University Championships. The pool rounds are currently self-
organised and as such will not require a great deal of resource. The University Championship Finals would
continue to be hosted and organised by BWB at alternative venues each year.
In order to successfully deliver the university wheelchair basketball competition, BWB will be required to work
with BUCS on competition management including publishing rules and regulations, creating and publishing
fixtures and manage any reports of regulation breaches or disciplinary actions. All league management aspects
such as university entries, fixture creations and competition schedules can be managed on the BWB
Membership Portal (Playwaze), and agreement on other areas of competition management to be laid out in
agreement with BUCS.
BUCS – Promotion and marketing of competition to member institutions; governance and disciplinary of rules
and regulations; organisation of BUCS Big Wednesday and organisation/liaison with finalists.
Universities - For universities with current wheelchair basketball clubs and societies, we do not expect any
substantive changes. There may be some facility access issues to overcome in terms of availability but that is
normal. We would request Communications cover at the University Championships from the BUCS team as
this is not something we have the capacity to cover in addition to BWB channels.
It is important to consider with this structure the dates of the fixtures, and to avoid clashes with the community
programme as much as possible, whilst also taking into account the availability of workforce and students.
Based on feedback from our most recent survey - Participant Survey, the preferred days for University matches
to take place are Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. BWB’s workforce is better placed to service weekend
games.
Conference Team Entry – 3 rounds to include one home round and potentially progression to Conference
Finals (Incurred by University)
BWB Club/Organisation Affiliation (providing all relevant insurances and £100.00
safeguards)
Team Entry £120.00 per team
BWB Individual Membership (providing all relevant insurances and £30 (not included in university
safeguards) total)
Venue Hire for home pool round £240.00
6 hours
Officials (2 Referees and 2 Table Official) £500
Sub-total £960
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 10 of 26University Championships – Conference Play-Offs, 1 day event to include the top 8 teams from pools
(Costs incurred by BWB)
Venue Hire 1 day £2,300.00
Workforce £1,600.00
Branding and Marketing £500.00
Accommodation £300.00
Catering £100.00
Sub-total £4,800
Premier Division – 1 day event held regionally/locally at one university (Incurred by university)
BWB Club/Organisation Affiliation (providing all relevant insurances and £100.00
safeguards)
Team Entry £120.00 per team
BWB Individual Membership (providing all relevant insurances and £30 (not included in university
safeguards) total)
Venue Hire 6 hours £240.00
Officials (2 Referees and 3 Table Officials) £600.00
Sub-total £1,060
BUCS BIG Wednesday Final – (Costs Incurred by BUCS)
Venue Hire 3 hours £???
Officials (3 Referees and 3 Table Officials) £400
Sub-total £400
Diagram 9 – Expected expenditure for University and BWB
In order for Universities to enter the wheelchair basketball university competition, each university and their
wheelchair basketball team members will be required to meet two requirements set BWB. The first
requirement is that each University affiliates with British Wheelchair Basketball on the BWB Membership
Portal. This will require a one off payment of £100 which provides the University with season long affiliation
and public liability cover of up to £10,000,000. The second requirement is for each participant (players and
team staff including coaches) will be required to be an individual member of British Wheelchair Basketball.
This membership can be purchased on the BWB Membership Portal at a cost of £30 per person on a
seasonal basis and provides personal accident cover and eligibility for the season’s competition.
As well as the cover mentioned above, by affiliating with British Wheelchair Basketball the Universities will be
able to use the BWB Membership Portal to run their team with the built in functions available. These include
but are not limited to; advertising sessions and volunteering positions within the club filtering through to the
British Wheelchair Basketball website as well as setting up any club subscriptions for their members to pay
directly.
BWB requires the income generated through memberships to resource the delivery of the University
Championships.
Playwaze
BWB also operates using the Playwaze system and would be open to exploring the crossover and
administration involved in running parallel systems.
WIDER IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The potential impact of aligning our University Championships to BUCS will be game-changing for the sport
throughout Britain. The impact includes:
1. Participation growth.
2. Access to inclusive equipment at universities e.g. sports chairs for players.
3. Increasing sustainability of the clubs in universities.
4. Workforce development and volunteering.
5. Promoting a positive image of disability and inclusive sport.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 11 of 266. Increasing profile of the universities that participate. 7. Challenging stereotypes and perceptions of sport. 8. Performance pathway development. 9. Increased access to support services for athletes, eg Strength and Conditioning, Physio etc 10. Access to Scholarships or grant support for athletes 11. Partnerships on wider projects such as Franchise development Since the introduction of the University Championships, we have taken guidance on eligibility from BUCS for this competition and believe that at this stage, we comply with BUCS general rules and regulations. We are open to discussion on the general governance and overseeing of the sport within the BUCS programme to ensure we have appropriate check and challenge. This could be in the form of a committee if required. We are also prepared to discuss the possibility of joint institutional teams, however, with the current feedback from our participants on previous similar regulations, it is not favoured within the sport, nor with the flexible Classification we have in place is not wholly necessary at the Conference level in particular. The current rules allow 25% of the team to be made up of students from other universities who do not have their own team, however, they play under the banner of the host university. This helps to widen the access to disabled students who do not have provision in at their own university. It has been identified however that this might be an approach that is more appropriate to the Premier Division where we have a large spread of Pathway Athletes across numerous Institutions that could potentially still be placed in the Conference Division because of the development stage of their university club and nature of athletes making up the wider team. BWB has a full-time League and Competitions Manager, who would take responsibility for the organisation of the University Championships and liaise with BUCS on day to day logistics and management. They will also organise and deliver the University Championship Finals day. We are confident in our ability to provide high quality experiences for all student-athletes. The University Championship Finals would continually be moved to different venues allowing BWB the opportunity to work closely with a variety of suitable venues and servicing the wider membership and demographic of the sport (venue permitting). 6. CONCLUSION To conclude, BWB are extremely excited for the opportunity to become a formal BUCS sport and are open to discussion around pinch areas which may need further exploration and development. We don’t foresee any change or increase in resources and workload to BWB, BUCS and Member institutions over the years, but will benefit all parties by creating a new partnership between BUCS and BWB as well as allowing more students the opportunity to participate in the first disability team sport to be part of the BUCS competition programme, aiding to BUCS’ mission to create ‘The best university sport experience in the world.’ Appendix: Institutions Competing or expressing interest in Wheelchair Basketball as of November 2018: Brunel University London Cardiff Metropolitan University Durham University Loughborough University Northumbria University Nottingham Trent University Sheffield Hallam University Ulster University University of Oxford University of Bath University of Brighton University of East London University of Hull University of Nottingham University of Sheffield University of Worcester BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 12 of 26
Appendix 2 – Current University Championship Rules and Regulations
British Wheelchair Basketball University Championship Regulations 2019-20
Finals:
14th March 2020 – David Ross Sports Village, University Park, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD
Contact Information;
If you require any information, please contact:
membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk
British Wheelchair Basketball
SportPark
Loughborough University
3 Oakwood Drive
Loughborough
LE11 3QF
Tel: 01509 279900
These Regulations govern the University Championships organised by British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB)
for the season of 1st September 2019 to 31st August 2020. These Regulations are the only Regulations
specified and no other publication is applicable apart from the official IWBF Rules and Interpretations.
The University Championships will be played according to IWBF rules. (i.e 4 x 10 minute quarters, plus periods
of 5 minutes overtime as needed). Team and player foul limits as per IWBF rules.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 13 of 26Section 1. Affiliation and Registration
Universities and Teams
1.1 All Universities wishing to enter teams into the University Championship must affiliate with BWB on
the BWB membership portal by 13th October 2019 ensuring affiliation and eligibility to enter one or
more of BWB’s National Competitions.
1.2 All Universities must enter their teams on the BWB membership portal by Sunday 13th October 2019.
Entries received after this date are accepted at BWB’s discretion.
1.3 Should a team withdraw from the University Championships once the competition has started, all
results involving that team will become void and removed from the league table.
1.4 Should a University withdraw from the University Championship prior to the start of the Competition,
all players will become ‘free agents’ and can register to play for another University in line with
regulation 3.5.
Members
1.5 All university team members including players, coaches and team staff must be registered and be
appropriately licensed on the BWB membership portal before participating in the University
Championships.
1.6 It is the responsibility of all playing clubs to ensure that every member is medically fit to play in the
University Championships.
1.7 All members must ensure that their personal details including, name, date of birth, address and
photograph are accurate and those of the individual registering. If these are found to be incorrect,
BWB will class this is ‘Intentional Misrepresentation’.
*Intentional Misrepresentation is when a BWB licenced member:
• Attempts to falsify personal data
• Deliberately uses a photograph of another person
• Deliberately uses another name other than that of which is listed on official documentation
such as a passport or birth certificate.
1.8 Should there be reason to believe an individual is guilty of Intentional Misrepresentation, a report
should be submitted to membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk. This report must include
reasons as to why the report is being filed along with evidence to back up the report.
1.9 BWB will investigate any alleged Intentional Misrepresentation by contacting the individual in
question who will be required to provide evidence confirming their identity. Failure to provide
evidence confirming an individual is who they claim to be will result in the individual’s BWB
membership being revoked.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 14 of 26Penalties and Fines relating to Affiliation and Registration
(a) Universities wishing to enter the University Championships who affiliate and enter their teams after
13th October may be refused entry into the competition at BWB’s discretion.
(b) Teams who play a non-licenced or ineligible player, will receive a £100 fine, 2 league point deduction
per game in which the player played, plus forfeiture per game set at 20-0.
(c) Universities withdrawing a team from the University Championships after the 13th October entry
deadline has passed will be subject to a fine of £250.
Section 2. 2019-2020 Fees
2.1 By 13th October 2019, the following fees become payable to British Wheelchair Basketball.
University Affiliation University Championship
Entry Fee
£100 £120 (per team)
2.2 The following individual member fees become payable to BWB at the time of registration:
Adult Membership
£30
2.5 University and member registration fees must be paid at the time of registration. No exceptions to
this regulation will be made. Payment can only be made on the BWB Membership Portal.
2.6 The following Club roles require a valid, in date DBS check:
• Team Manager
• Coach
• Assistant Coach
• Welfare Office
DBS checks must be carried out at least every three years, however must be renewed at the start of
the season in which they expire. Additional checks may be requested by BWB at any time for
membership / registration to be retained. An additional £12.50 will be added to process your DBS.
2.6 To coach in the University Championships, you must be a licenced coach with BWB for the 2019-20
season.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 15 of 26Section 3. Team Roster
3.1 All players must register with a specific University, which they will remain with for the duration of the
competition. Once a player has played for their University they are ‘Cup Tied’ to that University team
for the duration of the competition.
3.2 All University teams must have a minimum of 5 and maximum of 12 licenced players.
3.3 A coach, assistant coach and up to a maximum of 7 team staff are permitted to sit on the team
bench. All people on the team bench must be licenced with BWB.
3.4 At least one player with a physical lower limb disability that prevents them from playing running
game basketball must be on court at all times.
3.5 All University teams must consist of full/part-time students from the University that they are
representing. Teams can consist of 25% (i.e. maximum of 3 players per team of 12 players) players
that are enrolled and are attending a different university. Players can only register for one university
per season and once registered are ‘cup-tied’ for the duration of the season.
3.6 To be eligible to compete at the National Finals, all players must have played in at least two
Regional Rounds. E.g. round 1 and 2.
3.7 The table officials must present the scorebook to each team coach and request they sign next to
their name at least 10 minutes before tap-off. Each coach is responsible for ensuring all participating
players names are listed on the scoresheet. Teams are advised to always check the scoresheet
before tap-off to ensure the correct details have been listed.
General Penalties and Fines relating to Team Roster
(a) Failure of team coaches / captains to ensure that all player names and membership numbers are
inscribed on the score sheet will incur a fine of £50 per occasion. It is not the table official’s
responsibility to ensure this is carried out – coaches should check the sheet before the start of the
game.
Section 4. University Championship Format
4.1 The University Championships consists of pools made up of 3 or 4 teams. Each team hosts one
round of 3 games, involving 2 opposition teams.
4.2 The number of pools is determined by the number of entrants.
4.3 Pool groups will be regionalised as best as possible to avoid long travel distances
4.4 Two points will be awarded for a win, one point will be awarded for a defeat.
4.5 If 2 or more teams have the same win-loss record of all games in the pool, the game(s) between these
2 or more teams shall decide on the final league position. If the 2 or more teams have the same win-
loss record of the games between them, further criteria will be applied in the following order:
(a) Higher goal difference of the games between them.
(b) Higher number of goals scored in the games between them.
(c) Higher goal difference of all games in the group.
(d) Higher number of goals scored in all games in the group.
(e) If still tied before all games have been played in the group, tied teams shall share the same ranking. If
these criteria still cannot decide at the end of the group phase, a draw shall decide on the final
classification.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 16 of 26University Championship Finals
4.6 The top eight teams will qualify for the University Championship Finals which will be hosted by BWB
on 14th March 2020 at the University of Nottingham, David Ross Sports Village.
4.7 All qualifying teams will be expected to attend the University Championships Finals with an eligible
team. Cost of travel and, if necessary, associated accommodation costs must be met by the qualifying
teams for the University Championship Finals.
4.8 All teams finishing top in their Pools will automatically qualify for the University Championship Finals
4.9 Pool winners will be seeded based on win ratio against the second placed team in the Pool followed
by Goal Average.
4.10 The remaining qualifying positions will be determined by the results against the top team in each
Pool. If win - loss ratios are the same with multiple second placed teams, points average in the
games against the top team will be used to determine the qualifying teams.
4.11 Wildcard Qualification to National Finals
Home Nations Universities can apply to British Wheelchair Basketball for a wildcard to compete in
the University Championship Finals. A maximum of two wildcard applications can be accepted per
season. All wildcard applications must be sent to membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk by
Sunday 16th March and must present a case as to why permitting entry to the University
Championship Finals would be beneficial for BWB and the University. No University will be eligible to
apply for a wildcard unless they are an affiliated University to BWB.
4.12 Fixtures will be compiled:
Game 1 - 1st v 8th
Game 2 - 2nd v 7th
Game 3 - 3rd v 6th
Game 4 - 4th v 5th
The Semi – Finals will be as follows:
Winner of Game 1 v Winner of Game 4
Winner of Game 2 v Winner of Game 3
Section 5. Arrangement of University Championship Fixtures
5.1 BWB will create the University Championship fixture list for Universities to organise their fixtures for
the coming season.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 17 of 265.2 All Universities must return their confirmed fixtures to
membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk including their home fixtures dates, venue and tap-
times by Sunday 27th October 2019. Failure to provide fixtures by this date may result in officials not
being appointed, and the fixtures being forfeit.
5.3 All Universities are required to be available on both the Saturday and Sunday of each round to
ensure that fixtures can take place on the designated weekends. If any University knows prior to, or
at the time of entry they cannot participate on one of the set weekends, they must contact
membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk as soon as they are aware of the conflict of dates.
5.4 Universities will be responsible for arranging and hosting one round each, which should be held on
one of the weekends specified below. However, Universities unable to host on these weekends may
apply to the League and Competitions Manager for exemption, which may only be granted if it does
not affect other fixtures.
5.5 Universities must contact their opponent no later than 7 days in advance of a fixture to confirm the
venue and tap-off time. Universities do not need to notify referees, but must copy in
membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk and officials@britishwheelchairbaksetball.co.uk who
will check details corresponding to those listed on the officials’ appointment software.
5.6 The host club, plus two opposition teams will each play 2 games at each round.
5.7 It is expected – to reduce time away from home for travelling teams – that the home team will play the
first and last game of each day, with the two away teams playing each other in the middle game of the
day. An example format is given below:
Game 1 Host vs Away 1
Game 2 Away 1 vs Away 2
Game 3 Host vs Away 2
5.8 University Championship Regional Round Fixtures are as follows:
3 Team Pools:
1st Round (16th / 17th November 2019), Hosted by Team 1:
1v2
2v3
1v3
2nd Round (30th November & 1st December 2019) Hosted by Team 2:
2v1
3v1
2v3
3rd Round (1st & 2nd February 2020) Hosted by Team 3:
3v1
1v2
3v2
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 18 of 264 Team Pools:
1st Round (16th / 17th November 2019), Hosted by Team 1:
1v2
1v3
2v3
2nd Round (30th November & 1st December 2019) Hosted by Team 2:
2v1
2v4
4v1
3rd Round (1st & 2nd February 2020) Hosted by Team 3:
3v1
3v4
1v4
4th Round (15th & 16th February 2020) Hosted by Team 4:
4v2
4v3
3v2
5.8 All Pool rounds of the competition must have been completed by 1st March 2020.
Match Postponement
5.9 Where a University is responsible for the postponement of a match (up to 24 hours prior to the tap-
off time) due to the venue owners cancelling the court booking, the match must be rescheduled
within 14 days of the postponement. Confirmation from the venue that the original booking was
cancelled by the venue must be provided. Failure to provide confirmation from the venue will result in
the matter being considered by BWB who is entitled to award the match to the opposition.
5.10 Where a University is responsible for a fixture being postponed with less than 24 hours to tap-off, for
any reason other than inclement weather, the fixture will be recorded as a forfeit with the score being
set at 20-0 in favour of the non-offending University. 1-league point will be deducted from the
offending teams and a fine will be issues in accordance with regulation 5.14.
5.11 In the event that a match is postponed:
• The travelling expenses (if applicable) of all match officials will be paid by the home University
• The University responsible for the postponement of the match shall be liable for all costs
associated including the cost of the court hire.
• The responsibility for notifying BWB and match officials of a postponement lies with the home
team.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 19 of 265.12 The team responsible for the postponement of the match shall provide suitable dates for the re-
arrangement within 7 days of the scheduled tap-off. In the event that within 14 days of the original
match date, the two clubs cannot reach an agreement as to when the rescheduled match should
take place, the match will be void and no points awarded to either team.
Forfeits
5.13 A team shall forfeit the match if 15 minutes after the schedule tap-off time, the team is not present on
court and / or prevents the match being played due to its actions. 5.14 When a scheduled match
is forfeited, a 1-league point deduction will be applied to the offending team and a fine will be
imposed as follows:
1st Offence Fine Subsequent Offence Fines
£200 £500 & removal from the Competition
General Penalties and Fines relating to fixtures are as follows:
(a) Any team not confirming fixtures by Sunday 27th October will be fined £50.
Section 6. Match Day Management
6.1 Team Contacts / Administrators must submit their team list on the BWB membership portal up to 30
Minutes / 1 hour prior to tap-off for each fixture.
6.2 Playing teams must show / provide the scorer, no later than 20 minutes prior to tap-off, at all games
their electronic Licence Cards found on the BWB Membership Portal.
General Penalties and Fines relating to Match Day Management are as follows:
(a) Failure to submit individual fixture team list on BWB membership portal 30 Minutes / 1 hour prior to
tap-off will result in a £25 fine per occurrence.
Section 7. Results
7.1 Match results and individual player points must be entered directly onto the BWB app match card
within 2 hours of the conclusion of the fixture.
7.2 If a match is forfeited, the non-offending team must enter the result as 20 – 0 on the BWB
membership system.
7.3 A visible and clear photograph of the scoresheet must be emailed to
membership@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk within 48 hours of the fixture. The opposition team
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 20 of 26must be copied into the email. If an official has made any notes on the back of the scoresheet, both
sides must be photographed and sent in.
General Penalties and Fines relating to Results:
(a) Failure to submit the result and points scored into the BWB app match card will result in a £25
fine per occurrence.
(b) Failure to email the white organisers copy of the scoresheet within 48 hours of the fixture - £10
fine.
Section 8. Uniform and Equipment
8.1 Players must wear matching kit. This comprises of matching coloured vests of a single dominant
colour with a legal playing number (numbers 0, 00 and 1 to 99).
8.2 The designated Home team must wear ‘light’ uniform (white, yellow or pale blue) unless otherwise
agreed with opposition & officials. The designated away team must wear dark or coloured uniforms.
8.3 All players must wear tracksuit bottoms, trousers or shorts of a uniform colour. Players wearing
jeans will not be allowed to play.
8.4 Undershirts may be worn provided they are the same dominant colour as the playing strip.
8.5 Compression sleeves are permitted providing they are the same dominant colour as the playing shirt
or black, or white but all players on the team must wear the same colour.
8.6 All appointed Officials must wear the most up to date BWB Officials kit for all BWB appointed
fixtures.
8.7 Home clubs must provide the following equipment for all games;
• An official score book.
• A visible scoreboard comprising of a countdown resettable game timing device, team score, the
number of time outs taken and team fouls committed as a minimum. The scoreboard must be of
a size easily visible to both coaches, preferably on opposite side to the team bench areas.
• 24 second device and displays. (This is optional ad applicable only for those venues that have
24 second devices)
• Player foul markers numbered one to five.
• Team foul markers.
• Alternate possession arrow.
• At least two match balls in good condition for the referees to choose from.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 21 of 268.8 The Molten GG7X composite basketball is the official game ball in the University Championships and
must be used. No other manufacturer's ball is permitted to be used.
General Penalties and Fines relating to Uniform and Equipment:
(a) Failure of home team to provide the BWB designated game ball for the competition - £100
fine per game.
(b) Players wearing illegal number or kit will incur a £10 fine per player per occasion.
Section 9. Officials
9.1 Where possible, two qualified referees will be appointed by the BWB Referee Appointment's Officer
for all official fixtures.
9.2 The fixture must go ahead even if there is only one available referee.
9.3 There is no requirement for clubs to contact referees prior to each fixture. If referees fail to turn up at
a game, please contact officials@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk. If you unable to contact either
from the venue, please cancel the game and make contact by telephone or email as soon as
possible.
9.4 The home team is responsible for paying the game fee and full travel costs of each referee on the
day of the game. When paying by bank transfer, the fee must be received by the referee within 3
working days of the game. When two referees travel in the same vehicle to a game, only the driver
can claim travel expenses. If officials incur car parking / toll fees, these must be paid in addition to
the travel costs.
9.5 For each round, the host University must provide two table officials with at least one being registered
and licensed with BWB for the 2019/20 season.
Fees
9.6 Referees - Rates for 2019/20 season:
University Championship Pool Phase £75 day rate which includes first 100 miles of
travel. All mileage after this will be charged at When
£0.25 per mile only one
referee
officiates
at a
game, they additionally receive 50% of the second
referee's fee.
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 22 of 269.7 Table Officials – Recommended Rates for 2019/2020 season:
Competition Rate
Level 1 table official £6 / game
Level 2 table official £8 / game
Level 3 table official £12 / game
Approved 24 second operator £12 game (if not included in above)
9.8 Travel expenses are paid at £0.30 per mile for all miles of actual travel up to a maximum of 100
miles. £0.25 per mile for all additional miles up to a maximum of an additional 100 miles.
Travel Expenses must be agreed prior to acceptance of the appointment for table officials and paid
at the discretion of the club.
General Penalties and Fines relating to Officials:
(a) £50 fine if officials are not paid on the day of the game or within 3 working days if bank transfer
payment is used.
(b) Failure to provide one BWB licensed Table Official at a game will incur a fine of £50 per official per
game.
Disciplinary Action
10.1 BWB is empowered to discipline a player, coach, club, team, team follower or official whose actions
are considered to bring the game into disrepute. BWB is authorised within its absolute discretion to
suspend or fine a coach, player, club or team in circumstances where it considers it appropriate.
These provisions apply to all BWB affiliated competitions.
10.2 Club Officials and BWB licenced Officials including Referees must respond, within 7 days to
legitimate requests for information made by BWB when conducting preliminary investigations.
Failure to do so will result in a fine of £100 and will be taken into consideration when complaints and
appeals are being considered.
10.3 BWB shall be entitled in its absolute discretion to impose penalties for the following:
Incident Suspension Fine Data Retention Period
1. Repeated instances of violent 10 matches £250 - 5 years or length of
behaviour or physical violence - Unlimited £1,000 ban + 1 year
(includes repeated incidents of
pushing, hitting, assaulting
players/officials/coaches/spectators)
2. Premeditated violent behaviour 10 matches £250 - 5 years or length of
(includes planning to push, hit, assault - Unlimited £1,000 ban + 1 year
players/officials/coaches/spectators
as well as threatening with violence)
BUCS SPORT REVIEW – SPORT PROPOSAL – CYCLE TWO Page 23 of 26You can also read
